By the numbers: 'underwater' homes in Calif.

Yes 44% (318)

No 56% (400)

718 total votes.

California ranked sixth in the nation in negative equity, widely known as being "underwater" on your mortgage, based on the latest data from real estate tracker CoreLogic this week.

The third quarter was the first time the state has not been in the Top 5 since 2009, when the company started to track negative equity, a state in which a homeowner owes more on their mortgage than their home is worth.

Nevada leads the current rankings, with 58 percent of its homes being "upside-down." Arizona (47 percent), Florida (44 percent), Michigan (35 percent) and Georgia (30 percent) follow, CoreLogic reported. The third quarter was the first time Georgia entered the Top 5.

California's share of underwater homes with mortgages was almost 29.7 percent; the data show the state has more than 6.8 million mortgages, with more than 2 million of them in negative equity.

CoreLogic estimates more than 300,000 mortgages in California are "near negative equity," which the firm defines as "properties in negative equity or within 5 percent of being in negative equity position."

On a national level, 22.1 percent of homes with a mortgage were underwater at the finish of the third quarter, down from 22.5 percent in the previous quarter, based on this week's analysis.

What does this mean? CoreLogic's Chief Economist Mark Fleming weighed in, in a statement.

Although slightly down, negative equity remains very high and renders many borrowers vulnerable when negative economic shocks occur, such as job loss or illness. The nearly $700 billion mortgage debt overhang has touched many corners of the market, and this overhang is holding back the recovery of the housing market and broader economy.